Sight rib for shotguns



Feb. 16, 1954 E. P. slMMoNs SIGHT RIB FOR SHOTGUNS Filed March 28. 1949 INVENTOR, ZWff/ R17/#Waan BY 2;/

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGHT RIB FOR SHOTGUNS Ernest P. Simmons, Kansas City, Kans.

Application March 28, 1949, Serial No. r83,821

5 Claims. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sight ribs for shotguns, having particular reference to sight ribs of the ventilated type, and is an improvement over the rib shown in my copending application Serial No. 16,813, led

March 24, 1948, now Patent No. 2,620,583.

Shotgun barrels, after extended periods of firing, become excessively hot, and heat waves arising therefrom interfere with the line of sight, which normally extends longitudinally just above the barrel. In order to overcome this diifculty, sight ribs have been attached to the barrel in spaced relation thereabove in order to permit the circulation of air therebetween. Said rib interrupts the shimmering heat waves rising from the barrel, and is itself maintained relatively cool by the circulation of air thereabout. in order to compensate for the resultant unequal thermal expansions of the barrel and the rib, the rib has been mounted slidably relatively to the barrel, being rigidly anchored thereto at only one point in its length. Since the rib is anchored at only one point, and is slidably carried by the barrel along the remainder of its length, recoil of the barrel when the gun is fired has a pronounced tendency to break or loosen the rigid connection of the rib to the gun. The principal object of the present invention is therefore the provision, in a sight rib of the class described, of novel meansy whereby said rib, though slidable relatively to the gun barrel, is rigidly anchored against movement relative to said gun barrel due to recoil of said barrel.

Another object is the provision, in a ventilated sight rib of the class described, of a pair of abutting stop members, said stop members being respectively lixed to said rib and to the associated barrel.

A further object is the provision., in combination with a shotgun having separable barrel and breech assemblies, of a sight rib slidably and detachably mounted on the gun barrel, and means whereby said rib is locked against removal from said barrel except when said barrel and breech assemblies are separated.

A still further object is the provision, in combination with a shotgun having separable barrel and breech assemblies, of a sight rib slidably and detachably mounted on the gun barrel, and a lug depending from said rib and retained normally between xed stop members carried respectively by said barrel and said breech assemblies, whereby said rib can not be detached from said barrel except when said barrel and breech assemblies are separated.

, tive to breech housing ID.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ruggedness, simplicity and ease of attachment, and adaptability to be applied to various types of guns.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects Which will appear during the course of the speciiication, reference will be had to the drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shotgun of standard design, showing a ventilated sight rib embodying the present invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the gun and sight rib.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line III- III of Fig. 2, with parts left in elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line IV- IV of Fis. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken online V-V of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line VIII-- VIII.' of Fig. 6.

Like reference numerals apply to similarparts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies to a shotgun of standard design and comprising a barrel assembly 4 including a barrel 6, and a breech assembly 8 including a breech housing lll. Said barrel and breech assemblies may be separated at I 2, said separation being accomplished by rotating the barrel axially rela- Said barrel has a threaded connection lil with the breech housing lll, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, the details of this connection being well known in the art. A plu rality of posts I6 are carried in longitudinally spaced relation on the upper side of barrel 6, each of said posts having an enlarged foot I8 which is silver soldered or otherwise rigidly fixed to the barrel. Said posts project radially upwardly from the barrel and are substantially equally spaced. The upper end portion of each post is in. circulation of air therebetween. A- groove 24 ls 3 formed in the lower surface of rib 22, said groove extending longitudinally of said rib the full length thereof except for a short section at the extreme rearward end of the rib. Said groove forms rib 22 to substantially the shape of a downwardly opening channel having side walls 26. Posts IB extend upwardly into the rib, and portions 28 of side walls 26 are bent inwardly to project into grooves 2i] of said posts, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus a sliding dovetail connection is formed between the rib and posts I6 which permits longitudinal movement of the rib relative to the gun barrel. It is apparent that when the rib has been moved suiciently that inturned Wall portions 23 no longer engage grooves 2D of posts I6, the rib may be lifted upwardly to free it from said posts. A iront sight bead 23 and a rear sight bead 30 may be xed to rib 22 by any suitable means. The upper surface of rib 22 may be knurled or otherwise roughened, as indicated in Fig. 2, to reduce glare. A rib extension 32 having 'its forward end flush with the forward end of breech housing IG, is securely fixed in a groove 34 formed longitudinally in the upper surface of said breech housing, by any suitable means such as screw 3B.

At its rearward end rib 22 is recessed at its lower side to receive a lug 38, said lug being silver soldered or otherwise rigidly fixed in said rib and depending therefrom. At its lower edge said lug rests slidably on the upper surface of barrel G, and at its forward edge abuts firmly against the rearward end of a stop 4l! which is silver soldered or otherwise rigidly fixed to barrel 5. A screw 42 extends through rib 22 and is threaded into stop 40; The'fiush rearward ends of rib 22 and lug 3B are spaced very slightly apart from the forward ends of breech housing it* and rib extension 32, as best shown in Fig. 6.

In operation, it will be seen that when the gun is red and recoils, the force of the recoil will be transmitted through stop 4Q and lug 38 to rib 22, and the rib will recoil with the gun. Since stop 48 and lug 33 are always in contact, there will be ttle or no stress on screw 42. A slight play between the rearward end of rib 22 and lug 38 and the forward end of rib extension 32 and breech housing lil is necessary in order to permitfree assembly of the barrel and breech assemblies. Screw 42 has the function of preventing longin tudinal play of lug t8 between stop 4S and breech housing IE. Any such play, if permitted, would cause a hammering action between lug 38 and stop 40, which would eventually loosen said stop and lug from their mountings. Screw 42 also has the functions of preventing any lateral movement of the rear end of the rib, and prevents accidental removal of the rib from the barrel when the barrel and breech assemblies are separated. It is readily apparent that the rib is locked against removal from the barrel whenever the gun is fully assembled by the inclusion of lug 38 between stop 40 and the forward ends of breech housing l il and rib extension 32. Rib extension 32 thus serves as a stop cooperating with stop 4d to retain lug 38. When the barrel assembly is separated from the breech assembly, and screw 42 is removed, rib 22 may be slid rearwardly to disengage it from posts l as previously described.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is readily apparent that many minor variations in design and operation could be made without-departing from the spirit of the inventiom What I claim is:

1. In combination with a shotgun havmg a. barrel, a plurality of support members fixed to said barrel in longitudinally spaced relation therealong and extending outwardly from said barrel, an elongated rib extending longitudinally relative to said barrel and carried for longitudinal sliding movement at the outer ends of said support members, a depending lug xed permanently and rigidly to said rib, a stop member xed permanently and rigidly to said barrel and extending thereabove, the extended portion thereof abutting against the forward end of said lug, and a screw extending vertically through said rib and threaded into said stop member.

2.'In `combination with a shotgun having a barrel, a plurality of support members fixed to said barrel in lo-ngitudinally spaced relation therealong and extending outwardly from said barrel, an elongated rib extending longitudinally relative'to said barrel and carried detachably for longitudinal sliding movement at the outer ends of said support members, a depending lug perI- manently fixed to said rib, and stop members xed to said shotgun respectively forwardly and rearwardly of said lug and substantially abutting said lug, whereby longitudinal movement of said rib at said lug is prevented.

3. In combination with a shotgun having separably connected barrel and breech assemblies, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting support -members fixed to said barrel, an elongated rib disposed substantially parallel to said barrel and carried detachably for longitudinal sliding movement at the upper ends of said support members, a depending lug fixed to said rib, anda pair of stops fixed respectively to said barrel and said breech assemblies and disposed respectively forwardly and rearwardly of said lug and substantially abutting said lug, whereby said rib is locked in assembled relation with said sup'- port members as long as said barrel and breech assemblies are connected.

4. In combination with a shotgun having separably connected barrel and breech assemblies, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting support members xed to said barrel, an elongated rib disposed substantially parallel to said barrel and carried detachably for longitudinal sliding movement at the upper ends of said support members, a depending lugA xed'to said rib, a stop member fixed to said barrel and abutting the forward end of said lug, a stop member fixed to said breech assembly adjacent the rearward end of said lug, there being longitudinal play between said lug and said rearward stop member, and means securing said lug in abutting relation with said forward stop member.

5. In combination with a shotgun having separably connected barrel and breech assemblies, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting support members xed to said barrel, the outer ends of said support members being substantially in line and each having a peripheral dovetail groove formed therein adj acent its outer end; an elongated sight rib disposed substantially parallel to the barrel of the gun and comprising a first section substantially coextensive with said barrel and having the form of an inverted channel receiving the free end portions of said support members between the side walls of said rib, portions of said side walls being offset inwardly to project into the grooves of said support members, and a second section in line with butspaced slightly from said rst section, said second section 5 being xed to said breech assembly; a depending lug xed to said rst rib section adjacent the rearward end thereof; a stop member fixed to said barrel and abutting against the forward end of said lug. and means securing said lug andlstop member in abutting relation, the rearward end of said lug being disposed in slightly spaced relation from the forward end of said second rib section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Godshalk Apr. 27, 1915f Flues Nov. 16, 1915 Burton Nov. 25, 1919 Hager et a1 June 25, 1929 Crowe Dec. 2, 1947 Crank Feb. 7, 1950 

